Next Shares Springs 23/1 Upset in G1 Shadwell Turf Mile

by Keeneland Press Release

October 6, 2018

Michael and Jules Iavarone, Jerry McClanahan, Christopher Dunn, William Marasa, Ritchie Robershaw and Mark Taylor’s Next Shares rode a rail-skimming trip to a 3¼-length victory over Great Wide Open (IRE) to win the 33rd running of the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) before a sun-baked Saturday afternoon crowd of 24,142.

The day featured five graded stakes worth $2.35 million, including four Breeders’ Cup Challenge races in which winners earned automatic berths in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs Nov. 2-3.

Keeneland smashed its Fall Meet Pick Four and Pick Five wagering records, both set on Fall Stars Saturday in 2016. Today’s $350,000-guaranteed All-Stakes Pick Four handle of $742,450 broke the previous record of $479,166. Wagering on the $250,000-guaranteed All-Stakes Pick Five totaled $619,106 to best the former record of $496,723.

Trained by Richard Baltas and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Next Shares covered the mile on a turf course labeled good in 1:36.97 to earn a berth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) to be run Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs. He gave Gaffalione his first Keeneland stakes victory.

Other “Win and You’re In” victors were KRA Stud Farm’s Knicks Go in the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) for 2-year-olds; Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables’ A Raving Beauty (GER) in the $400,000 First Lady (G1) for fillies and mares; and Juddmonte Farms’ Golden Mischief in the $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) for fillies and mares.

Also securing a graded stakes victory Saturday afternoon was Ironhorse Racing Stable’s Bucchero, who successfully defended his title in the $200,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select.

In the Shadwell Turf Mile, Heart to Heart and Voodoo Song raced through fractions of :23.37 and :47.14 as Gaffalione bided his time in midpack. On the far turn, Heart to Heart disposed of Voodoo Song and opened a daylight margin turning for home where he drifted slightly to the outside.

Gaffalione took advantage and shot Next Shares through the opening, quickly established command and never was threatened in the run to the wire.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Archarcharch out of the Evansville Slew mare Two Dot Slew, Next Shares improved his record to 20-5-4-2. Saturday’s $600,000 check hiked his earnings to $1,067,697.

Next Shares returned $48.80, $22.20 and $13. Great Wide Open, ridden by James Graham, returned $58.60 and $26.60 with Qurbaan finishing another 1½ lengths back in third under Mike Smith and paying $7.40 to show.

It was another half-length back to favored Analyze It with Big Score, Mr. Misunderstood, Synchrony, Almanaar (GB), Heart to Heart, Multiplier, Bound for Nowhere, Voodoo Song and Imperative following in order.

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10.7.2017

LEXINGTON, KY (Oct. 7, 2017) – George Turner and Clipper Logistics’ Suedois (FR) caught front-running Heart to Heart in deep stretch to prevail by a half-length and win the 32nd running of the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) before a Saturday afternoon crowd of 28,763, the second- largest Fall Stars Saturday on record.
The day featured five graded stakes worth $2.35 million, including four Breeders’ Cup Challenge stakes in which winners earned an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Nov. 3-4 at Del Mar. On-track wagering of $1,770,894 was up 4.5 percent, while all-sources wagering of $13,866,571 was the third-highest Fall Meet single-day handle.
Trained by David O’Meara and ridden by Danny Tudhope, Shadwell Turf Mile winner Suedois earned a berth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) to be run Nov. 4 at Del Mar. He was one of four winners Saturday afternoon to secure trips to California.
Other Win and You’re In victors were Empyrean Stables’ Zipessa in the $400,000 First Lady (G1), Albaugh Family Stables’ Free Drop Billy in the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) for 2-year-olds and Carl R. Moore Management’s Finley’sluckycharm in the $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2).
Also securing a graded stakes win Saturday afternoon was Ironhorse Racing’s Bucchero who scored a 1¾-length victory in the $200,000 Woodford Presented by Keeneland Select (G2), rewarding his backers with a $55.20 win payoff.
In the Shadwell Turf Mile, Heart to Heart shot to the lead and led the field of 14 through fractions of :23.96, :48.17 while under pressure from longshot Applicator.
On the far turn, Heart to Heart shook off his early challengers only to be confronted by defending champion Miss Temple City and Ballagh Rocks with jockey Danny Tudhope swinging Suedois to the outside just behind Ballagh Rocks for clear running.
Heart to Heart dug in and repulsed all rivals until the final 50 yards when Suedois surged past to complete the mile on a firm turf course in 1:35.94.
A 6-year-old French-bred gelding, Suedois is a son of Le Havre (IRE) out of the Singspiel (IRE) mare Cup Cake (IRE). The victory was worth $600,000 and increased Suedois’ earnings to $1,366,012 with a record of 32-8-8-7.
Suedois returned $21.40, $8.60, $6.40. Heart to Heart, who finished second in a Keeneland Grade 1 race for the third time, returned $4 and $3.40 as the favorite under Florent Geroux. Ballagh Rocks, ridden by Jose Lezcano, was another head back in third and returned $4.40 to show.
Divisidero was another 1¾ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Mondialiste (IRE), Miss Temple City, Offering Plan, Le Ken (ARG), Flatlined, American Patriot, Christian C, Applicator, Tyler U and Dimension (GB).
Quotes from the $1 Million Shadwell Turf Mile (G1)
David O’Meara (winning trainer of Suedois [FR])
“We’ve been here (in the U.S.) a couple of times before. We were here for the Breeders’ Cup with Mondialiste (IRE), who finished second (in the 2015 Mile-G1), and here in this race last year (when he) finished fourth. (Keeneland) puts on really good prize money. It was a toss-up over taking him to France for 7 (furlongs) or here for a mile. His previous start at a mile, he won it, and we were keen to keep him at the same distance.”
“We’ll chat with the owners and see what they want to do (about their earned spot in the Breeders’ Cup Mile).”
Danny Tudhope (winning rider)
“I thought I had a nice position (toward the rear of the pack). He travels really well, and I didn’t want to get (to the front) too soon. He finished really strong. He handled the track really well. I was happy with the way it went.”
Brian Lynch (trainer of runner-up Heart to Heart)
“You feel for the horse because he runs his eyeballs out every time, but you have to be humble and gallant in defeat as hard as he tries every time. If he had had a breather down the backside, he might have been able to finish better but that is racing. He is not Breeders’ Cup eligible and there is a big supplement fee so I don't think he will go. For sure he will come back to race next year.”
Florent Geroux (rider of Heart to Heart):
“There was pressure down the backside from Applicator going head to head with me. I wish he had not been there with me. If I had been able to slow him down a little (on the backside) maybe he could have won.”
Jose Lezcano (rider of third-place finisher Ballagh Rocks)
“I had a very good trip. He broke very good – the way I wanted to break. When I asked him to run, he gave me everything he had. He gave me his race. He tried hard the whole way around.”
Julien Leparoux (rider of fourth-place finisher Divisidero)
“We came from behind with a 14-horse field, but he made his run. No excuse. Just didn’t get there today.”
Edgar Prado (rider of sixth-place finisher Miss Temple City)
“She had a good trip. She broke OK and got outrun the first part so I was able to sit right behind the speed. She was going very comfortably and when I hit the three-eighths pole I had horse and I could look at the competition coming from behind. I was pretty comfortable where we were and I had a great feeling that she would be able to repeat (her victory in the race last year). At the top of the stretch, when I asked her, she really tried to go after the horse in front. The last three-eighths of a mile she just flew a little late. She got a good trip, but you’ve got to run the last part.”

2.16.2019

Gary Barber’s War of Will had to work a bit harder than he did last couple of times, but nevertheless he once again proved that he was the best when garnering up another victory on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in Saturday evening’s Grade II $400,000 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Breaking from the far outside thorough post 14, jockey Tyler Gaffalione used the 3-year-old son of War Front a bit coming out of the gate in order to get the right position, was four wide going into the first turn and sat right off of pacesetter Gun It who recorded opening fractions of 23.71 and 43.36. Just inside the three-eighths, War of Will established command and edged clear at the quarter pole. Gaffalione urged War of Will the whole way down to the wire but he was still able to get the job done and won by 2½ lengths in a time of 1:44.59. Country House was a green but a willing second while Roiland close late for third.
Hog Creek Hustle, Limonite, Manny Wah, Mr. Money, Owendale, Chase the Ghost, Henley’s Joy, Dunph, Gun It, Plus Que Parfait and Frolic More rounded out the field.
“The horse broke well today,” Gaffalione said. “I had the horse inside, Dunph, going to the lead and then (Gun It) showed a little bit of speed. When I saw they were intent on going I just tried to get him back and got him to relax. He came back to me nicely and settled well down the backside. Got a little keen going into the far turn and wanted to move a little early. But I didn’t want to take too much away from him so I tried to sit as long as I could. He was waiting on horses down the lane but I kept him at task and there was plenty of horse there.”
The Risen Star was Gaffalione’s third time aboard War of Will. He piloted the colt for trainer Mark Casse in his five-length maiden special weight victory at Churchill Downs in November as well as the Grade III Lecomte Stakes, which he won by four lengths.
“Mark and his team have done a great job,” Gaffalione said. “They’ve had a ton of confidence in this horse the whole way. It’s just an honor to be able to ride the horse. He’s just so professional, trains great and he’s a pleasure to be around.”
The Risen Star Stakes victory gave War of Will 50 qualifying points on Churchill Downs’ Road To The Kentucky Derby. He is now atop the Leaderboard with 60 total points. He earned 10 when he won the Lecomte last month.
“For a big horse, he has tremendous speed,” Casse said. “He had to hit the gas a little to get over so that got him a little riled up. It’s like hitting the gas and trying to hit stop. They’re not as easy to stop as a car. He got him rolling and probably made the lead a little earlier than we would have liked. He’s done this a few times early on. When he gets the lead, he starts wandering. If he keeps winning there will be some big targets for him to chase.”
Casse stated that the Grade II $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby on March 23 would likely be War of Will’s next target.
“As long as he’s happy and healthy that’s where we’ll go and then we’ll talk about it from there,” Casse said. “I think (Fair Grounds) is a wonderful place to get a horse ready for the classics. We have right now four or five Derby horses and our two major Derby horses are here right now. I think a lot of that. I have David Carroll who I have utmost respect for so that’s important for me. Last year we almost won the Kentucky Oaks with Wonder Gadot and she stabled here. It’s a great place, it’s nice and the weather isn’t bad. Horses stay happy and safe here for the most part.”
War of Will was the odds-on favorite at post time and paid $4.00, $3.00 and $2.60 while second-choice Country House returned $6.00 and $4.80. Longshot Roiland brought back $15.20.
Now unbeaten in three starts over the main track, War of Will has earned a total of $491,569 in lifetime earnings having collected $260,000 from winning the Risen Star.
Purchased by Casse’s brother Justin from the Arqana Two-Year-Olds In Training Breeze Up Sale in France last May for $298,550, War of Will is out of the Sadler’s Wells broodmare Visions of Clarity (Ire.) who is a half-sister to 1997 Grade I Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Spinning World. Visions of Clarity also produced Pathfork – the winner of the Group 1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at The Curragh in 2010. Other members of his family include Grade I turf winners Good Journey and Denon as well as Aldebaran – a three-time Grade I winner on dirt.